There are so many aspects to a Walt Disney World vacation. Food is one of the biggest. With hundreds of restaurants, dining plans, advanced reservations, character dining, etc., etc., it can be hard to know what is the best decision for your family. Here are mistakes guests make when dining at Walt Disney World:
1. Planning too many dining reservations – You might love to eat, but that doesn’t mean that you should spend your entire vacation doing it! Each Table Service meal takes about 2 hours from your park day. If you plan breakfast, lunch and dinner at Table Service restaurants, that is 6 (or more) hours out of your day! Consider the time commitment when deciding how many dining reservations to make.
2. Not realizing how much food there is – Portions at Walt Disney World are large. It can easily become too much food for your system. If you don’t eat like this at home, why would you eat like this on a vacation that costs you thousands of dollars, usually takes place in the Florida heat and involves walking upwards of 10,000 steps a day? Too much food could make you miserable!
3. Not planning dining reservations – If you are using the Disney Dining Plan, you will have at least 1 Table Service credit per night of your stay. You need to make reservations to use those dining credits. You don’t want to pay for the plan just to get to Walt Disney World and not be able to find anywhere decent to eat. You can always cancel and change your reservations up to 24 hours before your dining time.
4. Thinking leaving the parks for food is always a good idea – While there are many restaurants all around the Walt Disney World property, going to those restaurants is not always easy! Not only do you have to consider the time it takes you to leave the theme park, get to your car, exit the property, drive back to the park and enter the gates, but you also have to consider the traffic and time at the restaurants. It is very busy around Walt Disney World and it can take up to an hour just to get fast food and get back on property. If I had to estimate, I would say it would take you at least 1.5 – 2 hours just to leave the parks and get fast food and get back. And that is NOT at the Magic Kingdom where you would have to add another 45 minutes to an hour just to get to the parking lot and back. So keep all of that in mind when considering if this is a cost effective move for you.
5. Making breakfast reservations – If you are paying for the Disney Dining Plan, breakfasts are not a good use of a credit. You are better off spending these credits on a late lunch or dinner. Breakfasts also cause you to miss out on some of the most valuable park time (the first 1-2 hours the park is open). So think twice before you choose breakfast over lunch/dinner.
Learn more about planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Plus overwhelmed with all the planning? Destinations in Florida can help you plan your perfect trip.
Heather says
Tusker house breakfast is one of our absolute favorites. We get in the park, do the safari and then have breakfast, it has never taken 2 hours in the 6 years we have been doing it. Usually 1 hour. You can move as quickly or slowly as you choose. I also highly recommend doing Ohana or 1900 at 8 am on a 9 am opening of MK! Gets you fed and in the park at rope drop, after meeting characters you don’t have to wait in line for later.
ACHWLH says
Some of the breakfasts are very good- Tusker House, Kona, Cape May Character Breakfast, and Boma to name a few… great for a non park day and also great character interaction for younger kids
Peggy P says
I disagree with some of this. Leaving the park to eat at a resort is not always a bad idea. When we go to WDW, we usually visit a park in the morning, leave for the afternoon when it’s hot and crowded, then go back around dinner. While it does take longer to get to a resort since buses don’t travel from resort to resort, you’re only doing it once (2nd bus is park to resort or resort to park). And eating at a resort opens a whole new world of places and experiences. For instance, we never go to WDW without eating at Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Hotel. Our next trip will be including 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian. We’ll get to meet Cinderella, her evil step sisters, and a few other characters not seen in the parks. Many you can get to via the monorail, so it doesn’t take as much time.
I also wouldn’t rule out breakfast. as a table meal choice. Many character meals are breakfast only, like meeting Lilo & Stitch at Ohana (another resort restaurant – the Polynesian Resort). The Cape May Cafe (at the Beach Resort) and Disney Junior characters are found at Hollywood & Vine (Hollywood Studios) only during breakfast and dinner.
Kristin says
I think they are talking about leaving The World completely…not just a park. The story mentions fast food not quick service. I don’t think the story is even talking about Disney Springs. I think this is talking about completely off property.
Stephanie says
Where is the pizza in the photo located?
Erin says
Likely Via Napoli in EPCOT
Heather says
Via Napoli and it is DELICIOUS!